The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BJP alleges fraud in purchase of cotton

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BJP alleges fraud in purchase of cotton

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, MARCH 15. Alleging large-scale irregularities in the purchase of cotton by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the marketing authorities, the Bharatiya Janata Party district unit has said that the CCI and the marketing authorities have misappropriated large sums in connivance with the commission agents and traders of the agricultural market yards in general and Jammikunta market yard in particular in the district.

Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday, the BJP district president, P. Sugunakar Rao, alleged that the authorities, instead of providing minimum support price to the cotton produce, had swindled the farmers' hard-earned money in collusion with traders and commission agents. He charged the marketing and CCI authorities with fixing the rates without visiting the yards or inspecting the cotton bought by farmers.

`Farmers cheated'

The cotton bought by the farmers was procured with the price ranging from Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 1,700 per quintal against the MSP of Rs. 2,500, he said, adding that the CCI authorities were providing the price of Rs. 1,800 to Rs. 2,000 per quintal of cotton procured by the traders and the commission agents. He also alleged that the traders and commission agents were selling their cotton in fictitious names and denying the benefit to real farmers.

Suspension sought

The BJP leader asked the district administration to suspend guilty CCI and marketing authorities and conduct a thorough inquiry by appointing a special officer.

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